Archive for the ‘News’ Category

I was thrilled to receive an e-mail from Waterleaf Women's Center with the story of the first baby saved from abortion after the mother saw her baby on Waterleaf's ultrasound machine!

I'll let Waterleaf tell the story for themselves:

We were thrilled to receive the following text message recently from one of our Waterleaf clients in the hospital delivery room…

"Thank you for helping me not make a quick decision to abort. I can't wait to hold my daughter in my arms."

Though all of our births are special, Baby "Anna" (who weighed in at a healthy 8 lbs 9 oz.) was our first baby saved from abortion through the power of ultrasound. Her mother, who was determined to visit Planned Parenthood for an abortion, could not overcome the emotions of seeing her baby girl on Waterleaf's full-size TV monitor.

Since our January medical clinic conversion, dozens of Waterleaf's clients have experienced the powerful impact of ultrasound. Many were unprepared for the fact that their baby was a living, moving, human being with a heartbeat and fingers and toes!

Thanks to your prayers and financial support, we continue to witness the power of ultrasound and God's grace daily. May God bless each of you for sharing in our lifesaving ministry.

In faith,

The Waterleaf team

Such great news! Learn more about Waterleaf and contribute to their work at their website.

The pro-life community of northeastern Illinois has just lost one of its most devoted activists. John Thorne passed away quietly in his sleep in his home in Aurora, Illinois, on Wednesday, June 22.

I first met John at a community meeting held in April 2007 to organize in opposition to the rumored reopening of a notorious abortion clinic on the west side of Aurora. John had been one of the most devoted prayer warriors at that clinic, which had closed the previous fall.

John introduced himself after the meeting and showed me his cap, adorned with pro-life buttons, explaining that because he was so short—he styled himself "Little John"—it was easy for people to see the buttons. This was typical of John's great devotion to the pro-life cause. [Continue reading . . . »]

Planned Parenthood is on the defensive.  Just yesterday, they showed up to counter-protest against the Defund Planned Parenthood Truth Tour, led by Congresswoman Marilyn Musgrave and Lila Rose of Live Action, held at the offices of Rep. Randy Hultgren (who voted in favor of defunding Planned Parenthood). [Continue reading . . . »]

Doctor charged in baby deaths; Archdiocese calls actions 'abhorrent'

"A Philadelphia doctor who routinely performed illegal late-term abortions for more than 30 years was charged in the death of a female patient and accused of murdering seven babies born alive in his squalid health clinic." [Continue reading . . . »]

On October 19, the city of Aurora held a hearing asking for public input on proposed changes to their "Peddling Ordinance." The problem stems from a glut of unwanted advertising newspapers piling up on local citizens' porches.

But rather than restricting unwanted newspapers, the solution the city has proposed for this problem stands to muzzle free speech in our community by requiring citizens to seek the government's permission to exercise their 1st Amendment rights!

Find out more about the egregiously unconstitutional and undemocratic changes in Eric Scheidler's comments in the YouTube video above and in my blog post on the previous hearing on this topic. Also be sure to check out the local news coverage linked below and leave your feedback in the comments sections, both here and at the newspapers' websites.

Press Coverage

• Free speech vs. litter in Aurora—The Daily Herald
• Aldermen get earful on free speech—The Beacon News

The pro-life community of the Illinois Fox Valley came out again in force this month to protest the mid-west's largest abortion facility, the "Abortion Fortress" of Aurora, Illinois.

One of the most striking aspects of the pro-life community in the Fox Valley is the ecumenical spirit that has been foundational to the pro-life efforts here since the Planned Parenthood controversy erupted in the summer of 2007. Though there can often be ire and resentment between Protestants and Catholics even in the pro-life movement, God has blessed the community here with a spirit of unity in fighting for unborn babies and their mothers. [Continue reading . . . »]

After the grueling heat of August, the protest of Planned Parenthood in Aurora, Illinois in the mild September air was a welcome change of pace.

Pro-lifers gathered outside the mid-west's largest abortion facility at 9 a.m., as they have every month for nearly three years.

It's interesting to see what a routine folks have settled into after such a long time of protesting. Our stalwart protesters know just which sign they like to hold and where the picket line should go. Some have even picked up on the little tricks for keeping the picket line full when there are gaps from people walking at different speeds. It really is a well-oiled machine that keeps the clinic's presence in our town on everybody's mind. [Continue reading . . . »]

The pro-life community of Illinois' Fox Valley showed what it's made of this past Saturday during the monthly protest at Planned Parenthood Aurora, with a strong showing of 70 activists. We've held this protest every third Saturday of the month since November 2007.

August can be a tough time for pro-life activism, with summer vacations, high temperatures and back-to-school responsibilities tending to dampen participation. [Continue reading . . . »]

God graced us with perfect weather for a protest this Saturday, June 19. It was the day before Father's Day and it was great to see a strong turnout of pro-life fathers to show their opposition to Planned Parenthood's presence in Aurora.

Over 50 pro-lifers gathered over the course of the protest holding signs reading "Stop Abortion Now", "Planned Parenthood BAD for Aurora", and the most popular by far at this protest, "Dads for Life".

It was great to be joined again by local Knights of Columbus, who have started a regular rosary during our monthly protest. Their emphasis on fatherhood and family fit perfectly with the mood of the day. [Continue reading . . . »]

The client parking lot was nearly full at Planned Parenthood in Aurora, Illinois when I arrived for Saturday's protest. Abortions are all they do on Saturday mornings, so likely every car in the lot represented a mother and a baby in peril.

On my way to the corner of New York Street and Oakhurst Drive, where we protest, I staked some new signs in the ground.

These signs read "Pregnant? Free Help 1 Block West" followed by the phone number and web address for Waterleaf Women's Center, the Pregnancy Resource Center just a block down the road. This protest would be the first time many of our supporters, who generously funded the purchase of the signs, would see them in action. [Continue reading . . . »]